Man Argues With Judge Over Criminal Confinement Sentencing
November 3, 2020 at 3:33 a.m.
By Amanda Bridgman-
Randal Lee Kephart, 31, of 523 W. Pike St., Warsaw, apparently drove himself to his court appearance Monday in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and seemingly thought he was going to be driving back home when it was over.
Instead, Cates sentenced him to 18 months in the Kosciusko County Jail, with 12 months suspended, for a Level 6 felony criminal confinement conviction; and to one year in KCJ, all suspended to probation, for a Class A misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery.
Kephart was arrested in May after he and his girlfriend got into a dispute and he wouldn’t let her leave the residence. During the argument, the girlfriend grabbed an unloaded gun and hit Kephart in the back of the head, causing him injury, so she drove him to the hospital. The police responded to the hospital, and discovered Kephart had pinned the woman to the ground and choked her while she was attempting to leave the argument.
In court Monday, before the sentence was handed down, Kephart told Cates he knows he screwed up and that he’s done drinking. He also added it takes two, and said his family needs him and he goes to work everyday.
“You have a criminal history,” Cates said. “Now you’re telling me your family needs you, but you weren’t thinking about your family then. That was your choice.”
Cates then remanded Kephart to the custody of the Kosciusko County sheriff to serve his sentence, when Kephart seemed flabbergasted and said he drove to court and had a passenger with him in the gallery, and a job that he will probably be fired from.
Cates wasn’t having it and told Kephart to go with the deputies. Kephart continued to make his case, and Cates warned him if he says another word, he’ll be hit with contempt, and Cates ordered bailiffs to take Kephart to the jail.
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Randal Lee Kephart, 31, of 523 W. Pike St., Warsaw, apparently drove himself to his court appearance Monday in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and seemingly thought he was going to be driving back home when it was over.
Instead, Cates sentenced him to 18 months in the Kosciusko County Jail, with 12 months suspended, for a Level 6 felony criminal confinement conviction; and to one year in KCJ, all suspended to probation, for a Class A misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery.
Kephart was arrested in May after he and his girlfriend got into a dispute and he wouldn’t let her leave the residence. During the argument, the girlfriend grabbed an unloaded gun and hit Kephart in the back of the head, causing him injury, so she drove him to the hospital. The police responded to the hospital, and discovered Kephart had pinned the woman to the ground and choked her while she was attempting to leave the argument.
In court Monday, before the sentence was handed down, Kephart told Cates he knows he screwed up and that he’s done drinking. He also added it takes two, and said his family needs him and he goes to work everyday.
“You have a criminal history,” Cates said. “Now you’re telling me your family needs you, but you weren’t thinking about your family then. That was your choice.”
Cates then remanded Kephart to the custody of the Kosciusko County sheriff to serve his sentence, when Kephart seemed flabbergasted and said he drove to court and had a passenger with him in the gallery, and a job that he will probably be fired from.
Cates wasn’t having it and told Kephart to go with the deputies. Kephart continued to make his case, and Cates warned him if he says another word, he’ll be hit with contempt, and Cates ordered bailiffs to take Kephart to the jail.
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